Finding reputable resources in science can be a time consuming task because there is a lot of 'psedo science' sites out there. I think one of the biggest barriers to finding new sites is time. Often I do not have time to just sit down and 'surf' the web. I go surfing when I have a need - which leads to the second barrier - the search terms you use. There are times I know what I am looking for exists out there but I do not have the proper sequence of words to find it. Then the third barrier - once you find a site determining if it is any good? There are many science sites that are 'junk' and teaching students what makes a site good and what makes a site not worth their time takes time is a skill that will serve them well in their lives (not just in the science classroom).
I was glad to have some time to go looking for some resources. Here are some sites that I will share with my class - both virtual and face to face:
What were the three most useful tools or resources resulting from the web walkabout?
The three of the most useful sites include:
- Crash Course which is is an educational YouTube channel started by the Green brothers, Hank Green and John Green, who are notable for their VlogBrothers channel. It is great resources for any and every course!
- PhET Simulations is put out by the University of Colorado and includes simulations for all science class. This allows students an opportunity to do lab work in a virtual classroom that they could not do otherwise.
- Science Daily offers recent articles on any topic in science. It takes scholarly articles and breaks them down into 1-3 pages. It allows students even with a low reading level a chance to read about topics they are studding in the news.
How can students be taught to safely collect tools and resources that can help them maximize their learning?
I believe that students need to be taught how to collect information and resources that can help them. Often in the start of the year when I will scaffold their web quests/learning by compiling a list of resources for them to use. Often the list is far more extensive than they need and has sites they won't find useful. As the year goes on, my lists get shorter and shorter students are adding one or two of their resources, and by the end of the year students are finding all of their own resources. I always tell my students - look at the ending of the site. If it has a .gov, .edu, or comes from scholarly journal search then you *SHOULD* be okay in terms of where the information comes from. But I also tell them they are responsible for ensuring that the information is accurate, true, etc. One way to ensure that the site is a reputable one is to see if it has been cited somewhere.
What policies or procedures might need to be in place to make this possible?
I think that students need to be taught what are reputable sources. Maybe as part of the student orientation course, students should watch a video that explains the different types of sites. Maybe GaVS should require all teachers to keep a symbaloo site. This will help guide students in the right direction while doing searches. I will admit, I have been hesitant to create one, but now that i know how easy it is I plan on using it in my classrooms in the future.
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